Elevator indicating system.



No. 885,941. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. O. E. MOORE.

ELEVATOR INDIOATING SYSTEM.

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CHARLES E. MOORE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR INDICATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Application filed September a, 19o7 Serial N... 391,279.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Moonn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Los Angeles and county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented a certain new and Improved Elevator Indicating System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates. to means for indicating the direction in which elevatorsare moving, and is particularly ada ted for US6\ with passenger elevators in buil ings having more than one elevator car or cage, and the object of the invention is to provide a visual indicator on the rill work of the elevator hoistway which wi 1 show at each landing and at all times the direction of movement of the respective elevator cars so that a ersonat. any floor of the building can, at a g ance, see the directioh of movement of each of the elevators and cantake his place in front of the door of the elevator going in the direction in which he desires to travel.

Other objects and ends in view will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists in the provision in connection with each elevator car, of a visual indicator, upon the grill work at each floor or landing, connected with the car and operated by the movement of the car so as to show in which direction the car is moving with respect to such floor, as, for example, a person on the third floor of a building a proaching the bank of elevators could see wInch of the elevators was above the third floor and descending and which elevator or elevators was below the fourth floor and ascending.

The invention consists further in means whereby, when one of the cars or cages reaches the bottom landing or the top landing or floor of the building and is about to commence its return tip, the indicators are automatically reversed to show the reversal of direction of the car.

The invention consists further in providin automatic means for extinguishing the visua indicator after the car has passed a given floor, thereby indicating that that car has passed such floor.

The invention consists furtherin the con structions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly set forth in claims, and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits and connections as used on a four-story building. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of a four-story building showing two elevators and indicators. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line x 9c Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the indicators. Fig; 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits of two intermediate floors, showin the switches and contacts on a somewhat Iarger scale than Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 2, a visual indicator 2 is provided in front of each elevator hoist-way and-at each floor of the building, this indicator being preferably arranged on the grill work of the elevator hoist-way. The intermediate fioors are provided with indicators referably of the type shown in Fig. 4 where have shown the indicator as made of two sides set at the proper angle so as to be visible from either side of the mdicator as well as from directly in front thereof. The indicator 2 has each of its sides divided into two anels. The upper panel is provided with 'ettering making up the words up car and the lower panel provided with lettering making up the words down car. These panels are preferably colored in such a way that the lettering of the same is not visible until the lamp behind the panel is lighted. At the top and bottom floors I prefer simply to provide an indicator 2 having single panels at each of its sides, in which case the indicator at the lower floor would have its panels provided with the Words up car and the indicator atthe to floor have its panels provided simply with the words down car. In connection with the indicators of the intermediate floors, I rovide two electric lights 3, 4, the electric lig t 3 connected in circuit, as hereinafter described, to burn when the ele- Vator is going up, being lighted at this time behind the top panels of the indicator 2 and displaying through the said indicator the Words up car. Likewise the lan1p 4, as hereinafter set forth, is connected 1n circuit to light up the lower panels of the indicator and display the words down car when the elevator car is descending.

Referring to Fig. 1, 5 represents the positive conductor and 6 the negative conductor. In the drawings I have indicated these conductors as connected with a battery 7, but-it is obvious that, if desired, they may be derived circuits from the elevator control circuit of an electrically controlled elevator, or may be independent circuits supplied by any plained, and when the gap is closed and the circuit completed the electroinagnet 9 draws the circuit closer 20 in between the spring contacts 22, 23 of the lamp circuits 24, 25, completing the circuit to the lamp 26 and lighting the same. This lamp 26 of the bottom or ground floor is provided back of an indicator 2, the panels of which are provided with lettering making up the words n car as above set forth. Simultaneously with the closing of the circuit, as just described,and the lighting of the lower lamp 26, when the circuit is closed across the contacts 13, 14, the up indicator circuits of the intermediate fioor are also closed and the-up indicator lights lighted. This is accomplished by means of branch or derived circuits 8 leading through magnets 9 and branches 10 to the minusline or conductor as before,each magnet 9 actuating a circuit closer 20 which com letes the light circuit of the up light 26 i1 uminating the up car sign of the indicator at its floor. The circuit closer 20 is held in contact with the contacts 22, 23 by a detent 21 which falls in behind the closer 20 as shown best in Fig.- 5, and holds the light circuit completed until it is automatically broken, as hereinafter set forth. When the contact or circuit closer on the car reaches a position to close the gap between the contacts 18,19, the circuit of the lamp at the bottom or ground floor is automatically broken and the bottom lamp 26 extinguished.

This is accomplished by means of the branch clrcuit 15, magnet 16 and branch 17 connected to the contact 18, the contact 19 being in turn connected by a branch circuit 31 with the negative conductor. When this breaking circuit is thus closed, the magnet 16 is energized to draw up the detent 21 and allow the circuit closer 20 to fall away from the contacts 22, 23, breaking the light circuit and extinguishing the light 26. The circuit closer 20 may be provided with a conical con tact to fit between the spring contacts 22 23 and be automatically pushed away therefrom when the detent 21 is pulled up by the magnet 16, relying u on the spring action of the contacts 22, 23 or this action, or if desired a spring may be employed in connection with the closer 20 to normally hold the closer away from the magnet 9.

As the car passes the second floor of the building, the car contact or circuit closer closes the gap between the contacts 27 of that floor 26 of that floor.

shows down car.

and a circuit is completed through the branch 28, magnet 29, branch 30, upper contact 27, lower contact 27 through the branch 31 to the negative conductor, thus energizing the magnet 29 and drawing up the detent 21', allowing the closer 20 to drop away from the contacts 22, 23, extinguishing the up light As the car passes the third floor a similar action takes place through similar connections. As the car reaches the'top floor of the building (indicated as the fourth floor in the drawings) the car contact or circuit closer carried by the car closes the gap between the contacts 32 and thereby closes the making circuit of the down indicators, and the indicator 2 of all of the floors then This is accomplished by means of the branch 33 which leads to the magnet 34 and thence by the line 35, line 36 and upper contact 32 across to the lower contact 32, wire or line 36 to the negative line wire or conductor, thus energizin the magnet 34, which in turn draws its closer 20 in between the contacts 22, 23 of the light circuit of the lamp 27 which, at the top floor, is placed behind an indicator provided only with the words down car, so that the only signal or sign displayed at the top floor is down car. Simultaneously with illumimating the sign down car" at the indicator of the top floor, the down lam )S 27 of the indicators of the intermediate floors are lighted, displaying on the indicator 2 of such floors the sign down car. This is accomplished by means of branch circuits 33, magnets 34, branch 35 connected with the line 37, which line 37 connects all of the down making circuit magnets 34, so that when the circuit is closed at the contacts 32 all of the down lamps 27 are lighted. When the car has descended below the top floor, the car contact 38 closes the circuit between the contacts 39, thereby completing the breaking circuit of the upper lamp 27. This is accomplished by means of the branch 40, magnet 41, line 42, connected with the upper contact 39 across the lower contact 39 and branch 43 to the negative line Wire or conductor, thus energizin the magnet 41; pulling up the detent 21 t ereof and releasing the circuit closer 20, breaking the lamp circuit. In similar manner the lights of each succeeding floor are extinguished as the elevator passes the given floor, the intermediate contacts 39 being connected with similar magnets 41 and circuit connections.

It is thus seen that I provide an indicating system in which the direction of the car is at all times shown at all landings along the elevator shaft and in which automatically the lights are extinguished after, the car has passed and automatically reversed when the car reaches the top or bottom floors or landings of the building.

Various mechanical and electrical equivalents of the parts and circuits and circuit connary mechanic skilled-in the art of building signaling and indicating apparatus and therefore I do not confine" myself to the exact constructions shown'or described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1., An elevator indicator system comprising an indicator, at each floor or landing, provided with means to indicate up travel of the car and with means to indicate down,

travel of the car, electric lights in connection with said indicating means, normally opencircuiits for said lights, means operated by the car for closing the circuits of all up indicator lights when the car reaches the lower floor and for successively breaking the lighting circuits as the car passes the respec.

tive floors in ascending, and means for automatically closing the circuits of all down indicator lights when the car reaches the top floor and for successively breakingthe lighting circuits as the car passes the respective floors in descending.

2. An elevator indicator system comprising an indicator at each floor or landing, said indicators provided with panels containing respectively indications of up and down direction of the car, electric lights arranged behind said panels, normally open circuits for said electric lights, means for closing said circuits, electromagnetic means for controlling said circuit closing means, normally open circuits for said controlling means, said circuits arranged to be closed and broken by a contact carried by. the car whereby when the car reaches the lower floor the lights behind the up panels of said indicators are lighted and are successively cut out as the car passes the respective floors in ascending, and the lights behind the down panels ofsaidindicators are lighted when the car reaches the upper floor and are successively cut out as the car passes the'floors in descending.

3. An elevator indicator system comprising an indicator at each floor or landing, the indicators of .the intermediate floors having two indicatin ortions, one to show thatithe car is upward liound'and the other to show the car is downward bound, the lower landing indicator provided with an indicating portion to show the car is upward bound and the upper landing indicator provided with an indicating portion to show the car is downward bound, electric lights arranged in connection with each indicating portion of said indicators, normally open circuits for said lights, a circuit closer for each of said light circuits, magnetic means for operating said circuit closers, the magnetic closer operatin means of the up indicator li hts connecte in anormally open circuit, an the magnetic closer operating means of the down lights connected in a normally open circuit, a circuit closer carried by the car and adapted 'to close. said up circuit when the car approaches the lower floor and to close the down circuit when the car approaches the upper floor, and means for successively cutting out each light as the car passes the floor of that light.

,4. An elevator indicator system comprising an indicator at each floor or landing, the indicators of the intermediate floors having two indicating portions, one to indicate that the car is upward bound and the other to in dicate the car is downward bound, electric lights arranged in connection with each indicating portion, normally open circuits for said lights, a magnetically operated circuit closer for each of said lamp circuits, the closer of all the light circuits in connection with up indicators connected in a normally open circuit, circuit closing means car ried by the car and adapted to close said last named circuit when the car approaches the lower landing, means for retaining said magnetically operated closers in position to maintain said light circuits closed, means operated by the car as the car passes successive floors for releasing said retaining means and breaking the light circuit of the landing passed I by the car, the closers of all the light circuits in connection with the down iridicators connected in a normally open circuit, said circuit closing means carried by'the car adapted to closesaid last named circuit as the car approaches the upper landing, means for retaining said In netically operated closers in position to maintain said light circuits closed, and means operated by the car as the car passes down by successive landin s for releasing said retaining means and brea I ing the light circuit of the landing passed by the car.

5. An elevator indicator system comprising an indicator at each floor or landing, the indicators of the intermediate floors having two indicating portions, one to indicate that the car is upward bound and the other to indicate the car is downward bound, electric lights arranged in connection with each indlcatin portion, normally open circuits for said lig ts, a magnetically operated circuit closer for each of said lamp circuits, the closer of all the light circuits in connection with up indicators connected in a normally 0 on circuit, circuit closing means carried by t e car and adaptedto close said last named circuit when; the car approaches the lower landing, means for retaining said magnetically operated closers in position to maintain said light circuits closed, the closer of all the light circuits in connection with down 1ndlcators connected in a normallyopen circuit, said circuit closing means carried by the car adapted to close said last named clrcuit as the car approaches the upper landing,

means for retaining said magnetically oper-' ated circuit closers in position to maintain said light circuits closed, electro-Inagnets in connection with each of said retaining means, each of said electro-ma nets connected in a normally open circuit iaving contacts arranged in the path of the car to be closed by the car as the car passes a given floor, whereby when the up indicator lights have been lighted and the car asses above a given floor the light for that 001 is extinguished, and when the down" indicator lights are lighted and the car passes below a given floor the indicator light for that floor is extinguished.

6. An elevator indicator system comprising a series of indicators located at the respective floors or landings, each indicator provided with means to indicate up travel of the car, and with means to indicate down travel of the car, electric lights in 1 connection with said indicating means, normally open circuits for said lights, means operated by the car for closing the circuits of all up indicator lights at predetermined times, and for successively breaking the lighting circuits as the car passcs the respective floors in ascending, and means for untoinatically closing the circuits of all down indicator lights when the car rcachcs a predetermined floor, and for successively hrcahing the lighting circuits as the car pass-cs thc respective lloors in descending.

In testimon whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Les Angclcs, California, this 28th day of August 1907.

CHARLES l). MOORE.

In presence ol' FREDERICK S. LYON, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM, 

